His First Christmas
by Miles333
Summary: Alice struggles to make Hatter's first Christmas the best she can. There's a lot he needs to learn about the holiday, including how to shop for Christmas gifts, how to assemble a Christmas tree, and the art of mistletoe… Three shot. Alice/Hatter
1. One

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Alice_. SyFy does. Though I'm sure all of us long to find those official papers giving us legal rights wrapped up neatly under the tree, huh? :P

**A/N:** Just a fun little fic I thought of for a Christmas present to all my lovely _Forgotten_ reviewers. This is my way to thank all of you for helping keep me motivated. Enjoy!

**Summary:** Alice struggles to make Hatter's first Christmas the best she can. There's a lot he needs to learn about the holiday, including how to shop for Christmas gifts, how to assemble a Christmas tree, and the art of mistletoe… Three shot. Alice/Hatter

* * *

It was Hatter's first Christmas in the human world. Alice was determined to make it the best and most memorable she possibly could. But he didn't seem particularly interested in the important human holiday, especially after Thanksgiving.

The big dinner had been attended by all of the Hamilton relatives, both those close and distant, and each and every one of them had been determined to introduce themselves to Hatter and make sure he would always remember them. Alice had never been more embarrassed in her whole life. Especially after seventy-seven-year-old Aunt Marjorie had actually pinched both of Hatter's cheeks and then planted a lengthy kiss on his lips. Alice had wanted to die when she saw the stunned expression on his face. It had only gotten worse when Marjorie's four sisters hadn't wanted to be undone, and all vied from that moment on to give him their own pecks of affection. Alice and Hatter had left early.

She had assured him on the way to his apartment afterwards that Christmas would be a much smaller affair, with just the two of them and her mother present. The rest of the Hamilton relatives who lived in the surrounding area would come on New Year's Day to exchange gifts. Hatter had tried to hide his very obvious relief, and said something about how he had a feeling he'd be grievously ill on New Year's Day, and therefore confined to his apartment.

And so after that first disastrous Oyster holiday, she was determined to make sure his next one was perfect.

When she woke up on the first day of December, alarm clock blaring, she reflexively reached out for Hatter, but her hand found nothing. That was when she remembered that she was in her bedroom at Carol's house instead of in Hatter's apartment. She tried not to feel disappointed, and instead climbed out of her warm bed and started getting dressed. She didn't have to be at the dojo today, and so she had big plans.

After she was fully clothed in jeans and a blue sweater, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and went to the window. Flakes of fluffy white snow were falling softly from the sky, as they had been off and on for the past few days. The sidewalk below her window was coated in both snow and ice.

She stared down at it for a few minutes, smiling to herself and thinking of when the snow had first started coming down, and Hatter's adorable reaction. He'd thought the sky was falling at first, until she'd explained properly. Wonderland had never received any snow, he had told her with a furrowed brow. And even after she had assured him that the stuff was perfectly harmless, he continued to regard it with much suspicion.

Alice shook off thoughts of Hatter, knowing she would see him soon enough in person, and went out to the apartment's main area. Her mother was in the kitchen preparing a steaming bowl of oatmeal for her breakfast. "Good morning, dear."

"Hi, Mom." She grabbed a banana from the counter and peeled it, tossing the skin into the garbage. "It's snowing again."

"What a surprise," Carol said. "A snowy Christmas in New York City? Never thought I'd see the day." She took her bowl to the table, then turned to face Alice again. "Are you going over to David's again this morning?"

"Yeah. I'm going to take over that little Christmas tree I bought yesterday and set it up in his apartment. He's never had a tree before. Or a Christmas, for that matter. I'm trying to make this one as special as I can."

She nodded knowingly, and murmured something that was lost in the scraping sound of her chair being pulled back from the table.

"What?" Alice said, finishing the banana and pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"I said, why don't you just take it all over and be done with it?" Carol repeated, shaking her head. "You're not fooling anyone but yourself by taking everything you own over there one thing at a time."

She blinked a few times. "What are you talking about?"

"Alice, David obviously wants you to move in with him, and I can tell you want to, as well. But he's afraid to ask you, because it's only been two months, and he doesn't want to scare you off. And you're afraid to ask him, because you don't want to be the clingy girlfriend. You think I haven't noticed all this? I'm around you two enough that it's impossible not to. And besides, half of the things you own are already over there anyway. Just make it official."

She was suddenly very absorbed in her glass of orange juice. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mom. But I've got to go. Hatter's waiting for me."

Carol said something that sounded like, "I'm sure he is," but Alice pretended not to hear. She hurried to her room and pulled on her coat and boats, then got the box containing the tree and a plastic bag of various other Christmas goodies, and left again. She kissed her mother on the cheek and told her she'd be home later, then exited the apartment and took the elevator to the ground floor.

It only took about ten minutes to reach Hatter's apartment building, but her cheeks were flushed with cold by the time she got inside. Since the building didn't have an elevator, she hurried up the two flights of stairs. The exercise did a lot to get her warmed up.

Shifting the combined weight of the box and bag to her other arm, she raised a fist and knocked. She waited expectantly for a few minutes, but he didn't open the door. Frowning, she stood on her tiptoes and reached for the spare key from where it was hidden on the top board of the doorframe. She inserted it into the scratched lock and slipped inside, kicking the door closed behind her.

The apartment was cold and dark, except for a faint light shining from the kitchen. "Hatter? Hatter, are you here?" There was no answer, so she put her burdens down just inside the doorway and followed the light into the kitchen.

Hatter wasn't there, but a steaming cup of coffee resting on a thick hot pad and a note were. Since the coffee was still warm, Alice realized she must have just missed him. Taking a sip and smiling at how well he already knew her habit of needing caffeine to properly start each morning, she leaned down to read the note. Hatter's familiar writing scrawled across the page. _Alice. I'm sorry, love, but I've been called in to the café to work the morning shift. Cassie was sick, and there was no one else available to work. What are the odds, eh? I'll be back by noon. Love, Hatter._

She checked her watch. It was only ten o'clock. That left two hours to wait until Hatter got back. And it didn't make any sense to go all the way back to her mother's if she was only going to come back in two hours. She glanced around, then nodded briskly to herself. She could find plenty to do around here until Hatter got home. First, to find the perfect place to set up the Christmas tree.

* * *

When the apartment door creaked open at ten minutes after twelve, Alice was waiting. She hurried out of the kitchen to meet Hatter at the front door, holding behind her back a sprig of mistletoe she'd taken from her bag of Christmas goodies. Around the corner, she found Hatter just taking off his coat. She sprang at him, almost knocking off his hat, and wrapped both legs around his waist. He reacted instantly and caught her, holding her body tight to his.

"Hi there," he said, grinning at her. His lips were separated from hers by only a few inches of open air. "It's right cold out there."

She smirked and leaned even closer, taking off his hat and putting it on her own head. She ran one hand through his hair. "Let me warm you up," she said, and kissed him. He didn't protest, quickly taking over the kiss and performing a lengthy exploration of the inside of her mouth with his tongue. They were both breathless after a few minutes of this, and Hatter didn't look at all cold any longer.

"One more?" She produced the mistletoe from behind her back and dangled it over their heads.

He eyed the green leaf with obvious bewilderment. "What's that?"

She frowned at him, thinking he was trying to make fun of her for some reason, then remembered that he genuinely didn't know what it was. "Mistletoe. Whenever two people walk under a piece of it, they're supposed to kiss."

He raised his eyebrows, and brushed another, lighter kiss across her lips, one that was intense enough to make goose bumps explode all over her arms. "I don't see the point of it. Whoever needs mistletoe for an excuse to kiss his girlfriend is one sad bloke."

"It's supposed to be romantic."

"Well, in that case…" He kissed her again, this time much deeper. When Alice finally unfurled her legs from his waist and stood on her own two feet again, her breathing was more than a little unsteady.

"So what've you got on the calendar for today, love?" Hatter asked her, taking his hat back and effortlessly flipping it onto his head. "I'll make lunch first, if you want. There's still some lasagna left from the other night, I think."

"No, let's do something else first," she said, then laughed when she saw his expression. "No, not that. Maybe later. I was thinking more along the lines of _this_." She moved around him to pick up the box containing the Christmas tree she'd brought over, and shook it invitingly.

He stepped closer to read the small writing. "A Christmas tree?" he said, and looked at her questioningly.

"This is your first Christmas, Hatter. You need to have a tree."

He nodded. "All right. Whatever you say, love. So how does it work?"

"We have to set it up. Come on, in here." She led the way into the living room, and put the box down in the spot she'd cleared out earlier, by the single window. She opened the lid and struggled to pull the tree out of the box. It was a metallic green, and roughly three and a half feet tall. The branches were already assembled, if a little crumpled, and the pre-strung lights were ready to be plugged into a wall socket.

There was a moment of silence. Alice turned to study Hatter's face; he looked like he was struggling to find words. "It's…bright," he said. "Green. I like it."

She beamed. "I thought you might. I saw it and thought it looked just like you."

"I'd like it better if it were blue. Like that dress of yours," he said, grinning wickedly.

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. He pretended to be in absolute agony, clutching his side and gasping melodramatically. "Well, the store was all out of blue trees, so you'll have to make do with this one. Now, we've got to straighten out all the branches. Like this." She demonstrated, pushing and prodding one until it was perfectly shaped.

Hatter expertly copied her example. "This isn't so hard," he said, as the two of them set to work on the rest of the small tree. "Some of the people I work with have been complaining about putting their trees up later this week."

"Most people have trees a lot bigger than this one. Maybe we'll get one like that next year."

From the corner of her eye, Alice saw him glance quickly at her, a smile tugging at his lips. She looked at him, but he'd already glanced away again, seemingly focused on his work. She turned to face him, putting both hands on her hips. "What?"

He blinked innocently. "What is it?"

"You were looking at me funny," she said. "Was it something I said?"

He shrugged, and reached up to touch his hat. This was a gesture Alice already recognized as one he used to comfort himself when he was feeling unsure. Though such an occurrence actually didn't happen very often. "I just…you said _next year_, Alice. As in, next Christmas. You're planning to still be with me next Christmas."

She was honestly shocked that he might think otherwise. "Of course I am," she murmured, leaning over to give him a kiss. "I love you, Hatter."

"I love you too, Alice of Legend," he said with one of his trademark smirks.

She didn't know quite what to say to that, so she quickly turned back to the tree and finished fluffing up its branches. Once she was satisfied with it, she opened the bag of goodies she'd brought, and handed Hatter a plastic box.

"What's this?" he said, turning it over in his hands.

"Ornaments," she said. She slit the tape on the lid of the box with a fingernail, and took one of the glittery blue bulbs out. "See, we hang them on the tree. Like this." She hooked one over a branch, and then brushed the extra glitter from her fingertips.

He followed her example and hung a bulb next to hers.

"Yeah, just like that," she said encouragingly.

She took another bulb, and so did he. It wasn't long before nearly every branch had been filled by a small blue bulb. Hatter looked pleased with it, and Alice was suddenly very glad she'd thought to buy it for him.

"Looks perfect," he said, putting one arm around her waist. "Just like you."

She tried to look like she thought that the compliment had come across as incredibly cheesy, but failed miserably and ended up blushing instead. "Not quite," she said, more to distract him from her red cheeks than anything. "We still need to add the star. And I have a couple other ornaments I still want to go on there."

She pulled from his embrace and rustled around inside her bag. She finally produced a shiny golden star, which she handed to Hatter. "This goes on the top of the tree. There," she said, and pointed.

He put the star on where she'd told him to, then stepped back to survey his work. "We never did anything like this in Wonderland," he said, a note of melancholy entering his voice. "We never celebrated anything, really. Except for unbirthdays."

She pulled two smaller objects from the bag and walked up to join him beside the tree again. "We still need to pick a date for your unbirthday."

Hatter had told her that he didn't know how to translate the Wonderland date for his special day into Oyster time, and had no real desire to combine the dark days of his old life with this new one. She thought that was a very sweet thing for him to say, though it made her feel bad for him, and wonder what exactly he'd been forced to go through back before he had met her and left Wonderland far behind.

"There's no hurry," he said, bringing her from these depressing thoughts and back into the more cheerful present. "We've got to get through, er, _enjoy_ Christmas first, yeah?"

She tried not to laugh, but it was a losing battle. She busied herself with plugging in the lights. The tiny yellow dots shone brilliantly through the room, despite the dim sunlight filtering in through the window. She attached the last two ornaments to a branch, then tilted her head to one side and smiled. "So what do you think?"

He stared in silence for a few moments. "What're they supposed to be, then?"

"That's me, and that's _you_, silly," she said, slugging him in the arm.

He continued to stare blankly. "You're not blond, love. And do you really think I look like that? Because my hair wasn't white, last time I checked."

"They're novelty ornaments based on this Disney movie that came out in the fifties," she explained. "See, Alice looked like this, and the Mad Hatter looked like this."

He didn't seem particularly impressed with the ornament meant to represent him, but leaned forward to gently touch the tiny Alice. "I liked your dress better," he said with a crooked little smile.

And she couldn't help kissing him again.

**

* * *

**

If everyone likes this so far, I'll post the second chapter soon. :D


	2. Two

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Alice_. SyFy does. Though I'm sure all of us long to find those official papers giving us legal rights wrapped up neatly under the tree, huh? :P

**A/N:** Thanks so much for all the reviews, guys. I can't tell you how much I appreciate them!

* * *

Between work at the dojo and being with Hatter, Alice found that the days seemed to be flying past. She managed to pick up a few Christmas cards and get them mailed out to her various relatives, but hadn't yet found the time to go Christmas shopping. By the time the week before Christmas week rolled around, and she still hadn't gotten any gifts, she started to panic.

She woke up on the morning of the eighteenth and stared at the ceiling above Hatter's bed, many gift worries pounding away at her brain. Her mother had mentioned vaguely a few weeks ago that she would love to have that new silver bag that they'd seen at the mall together. But what if the store was all sold out by now? The longer she waited, the chances of the new bag being gone increased.

She had to get this done, today. No matter what. Because if she didn't get everything that she needed bought and wrapped neatly under the tree, she was going to go insane.

Alice slipped from between the sheets, careful not to wake Hatter, who was lying on his back, snoring lightly. The room was freezing, so she wrapped a pink silk robe from the back of the bedroom door around herself, then padded into the kitchen.

On the refrigerator, Hatter had neatly copied down a schedule of the days he had to work down at the café. She ran a finger along the paper until she found Saturday the eighteenth. She gritted her teeth with frustration when she saw that he was supposed to work from ten that morning until six in the evening. So much for her plans to take him along with her to the mall. And so much for her enthusiasm to go, because she certainly didn't want to go by herself. What would be the fun in that?

She turned to go back to bed, but her gaze fell on where her cell phone rested on the kitchen table. She licked her lips, then shrugged and picked it up. She dialed the number for the café, which Hatter had written across the bottom of his schedule, then waited.

Two rings sounded in her ear before there was a sharp click, then a cheerful voice declaring, "Carnation Café, home of the best tea this side of the city. This is Jackie speaking."

"Hi, this is Alice Hamilton," Alice said, trying to sound pleasant yet worried. "My boyfriend Hat–David Hatter works there. He's supposed to come in today?"

"Oh, David!" Her voice immediately brightened even more. "Oh my God, he makes the best tea! We've been having so many customers come in and ask for it all the time ever since he started working here!" Alice smiled slightly. Hatter hadn't mentioned the incredible demand for his tea, which sounded just like him. Downplaying his abilities. "You're so lucky. He's just so _sweet_."

_And keep your claws off him,_ Alice couldn't help thinking, jealously flaring inside her chest. Suddenly, she didn't like this girl so much, whoever she was. "Oh, right," she said. "Anyway, David is why I'm calling. He's sick."

"Sick?" Jackie parroted. "It's not too bad, is it?"

"No, he's just throwing up. And coughing. A lot. So he can't come into work today, obviously. Oops, there he goes again. I think he's throwing up a lung or something."

"Oh my God, is he going to be okay?" Jackie cried, making Alice realize that she'd probably overdone it a little. "Maybe you should take him to a _doctor_."

"Oh, I'm sure it's just a twenty-four hour thing. He'll be fine again tomorrow," she lied quickly. "Well, it was nice talking to you." She hung up and put the phone down. That was done. The whole day seemed much more optimistic now. Hopefully Hatter wouldn't be too peeved at her.

She hurried back to the bedroom. Hatter was still fast asleep, though his arm was now flung across where she'd been sleeping before, like he was reaching for her. She stood in the doorway for a few seconds, smiling softly while she watched him sleep, and thinking about how they had met.

Then, knowing she couldn't delay it any longer, she jogged around to his side of the bed. Careful not to jostle the mattress any more than she had to, she slid up to sit on his stomach, and leaned down so that her face was inches from his. He stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. Not until she pressed his lips to his and cupped his face with one hand.

He jolted awake under her, eyes flying open and right fist clenching automatically. She was careful not to flinch away, because she knew that he couldn't help such a reaction, thanks to his troubled life in Wonderland. She kept her lips on his, and smiled against them. Once he relaxed again, she pulled away and swung her hair back over one shoulder. "Morning," she said in a husky voice.

"Hi," he said, sounding slightly breathless. "You know, love, I could probably get used to waking up like that."

"Not too often. We don't want the novelty to wear off, do we?"

"I don't know about that." He stretched, absently brushing a gentle kiss over the knuckles of her left hand. "Have I slept in? Is it already time for me to go to the café?"

"Not exactly." She laughed nervously, and he frowned curiously at her. "I called in and told some girl that you're sick."

"What? Alice!" he yelped, sitting up so abruptly that she almost fell into the floor. She rolled over to the other side of the bed and sat up, biting her lip. "What if I lose my job?"

"You won't lose your job, I promise. You can go back tomorrow. I told her it was probably just a twenty-four hour bug. Please, Hatter, don't be mad," she pleaded, taking one of his hands between both of hers.

He sighed and rolled his chocolate eyes heavenward, but it was clear that he wasn't angry. "All right, love. I assume that means you don't have to go into the dojo today, then?"

"Right. Today's my day off," she said, happy that he wasn't mad at her. "So I thought you and I could go Christmas shopping together, at the mall. I haven't gotten any gifts, and it's driving me nuts. I didn't think you had either, so I thought it might be fun if we go together."

"So we're supposed to buy gifts for one another?" he clarified. She nodded. "How can we do that if we're together?"

"We'll split up, then met later after we're both done," she said. "And I've got to get something for Mom, too, and my friends at the dojo."

He thought about it for a minute, then nodded, lips slowly curving into a smirk. "Sure, why not. Yeah, I'll go with you."

"Oh, thank you, Hatter!" She kissed him, then jumped out of bed and went to his closet, where she pawed through the few clothes of hers that hung there among his silk shirts and trousers.

"Do I have time to take a shower?" he asked, getting out of bed. He was wearing nothing but a pair of blue pajama pants covered with tiny black hearts. He had to be freezing, but he didn't react to the room's chill.

"Of course," she replied, finally selecting a pair of jeans and a purple sweater from the closet and taking them off their hangers. "Just don't take too long. The mall's only going to get more crowded as the day goes on."

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Sure you don't want to join me?"

She smiled and leaned her head back against his chest. "Hmmm, tempting. But I really do need to get ready. Maybe I'll fix some breakfast while you're taking your shower."

"Er, why don't we buy some donuts from that shop on the corner after we're both ready? We can eat them on the way to the mall," he said.

She rolled her eyes. It was no secret that she couldn't cook to save her life, and Hatter knew it as well as she did. There was no point in arguing. "Fine, okay. Donuts sound good."

He kissed the top of her head, obviously pleased that she'd agreed so easily, then headed for the bathroom.

She shed her robe and the shirt of Hatter's that she'd worn to bed, and put them in the laundry hamper in the corner. Then she got dressed as quickly as possible and went into the kitchen, where she made some coffee to get her brain jumpstarted for the busy day ahead. It wasn't as bad as it could have been; it was actually drinkable, though not as good as the coffee Hatter made.

Sitting down at the kitchen table with the steaming mug, listening to the sound of the shower running, she picked up her cell phone again and dialed her mother. "Hey, Mom," she said, after Carol answered. "I won't be home until later. Hatter and I are going to the mall to get some shopping done."

"All right, have fun," she said, though she sounded distracted. "I guess you won't want me along to ruin your fun. Even though it used to be just the two of us doing the shopping together each year, you know."

Alice's eyes widened. She'd actually forgotten all about the standing tradition of doing late Christmas shopping with her mother in the excitement of Hatter. She'd been with him as much as possible since they had both come from Wonderland. And apparently, she had been neglecting other important aspects of her life. She felt incredibly guilty. "Mom, you can come with us. Hatter won't mind. He really likes you. So why don't you–"

"Alice, I was only kidding. I'm going to see a movie with that nice man I met at the grocery store last week, James. You know, the one I told you about. The one with the sweet smile and that nice…hair."

She laughed outright. "Okay, Mom, that's way too much of that. Have a nice time, okay? I'll see you tonight, probably."

"You and David enjoy yourselves, dear. Alice, has David…?" She paused, struggling for words, and there was a short silence.

"What is it, Mom?"

"Has David asked you…anything recently? It's been a while since you and I have talked, and–"

"Asked me anything?" she repeated, taking a sip of her coffee and frowning. "Like what?"

"Oh, nothing. Forget I said anything. You two have fun."

After saying goodbye and hanging up, Alice stared into her mug without drinking any of the liquid inside, thinking over those last words of her mother's. She was hiding something, Alice could tell, something involving Hatter. What, she had absolutely no idea. It was a mystery. But not one she was going to leave alone for long. She would find out what was going on, sooner or later.

* * *

Half an hour later, after they had walked down the block to buy breakfast, then taken a cab to the mall, Hatter and Alice went inside the enormous building, both glad to be out of the snow and ice outside. What seemed like hundreds of people milled about, each carrying several shopping bags. Colored Christmas lights were strung near the ceiling high above, and holiday music blared over the sound system.

Hatter stopped just inside the doors, nearly causing a couple of people to run into his back, and stared around with amazement. "Hatter, what is it?" Alice asked him, grabbing his arm and staring into his face with concern.

"I've never seen so many Oysters in one place before," he said in amazement, slipping up and using the Wonderland term.

Alice realized that this was the first time she had brought him to a mall of any kind. His reaction was understandable for someone used to much smaller crowds of humans, as opposed to this massive multitude. "It's Christmas. There are always a lot of people at the mall around this time of year," she explained.

"I'll say," he agreed, eyes wide as he stared around, trying to take everything in. "So what should we do first, love? Have you got something in mind?"

She told him about the silver purse she wanted to buy her mother, and said that she thought they could get it together, so he could have a chance to adjust to the crowds before they split up. He agreed that it was a good idea, so they set out across the store, towards the right store.

When they found the store, it seemed like lots of other New Yorkers had had the same idea. Alice was happy to find the purse she wanted to buy near the very back of the store, with only three others. She'd come just in time. She took it to the front and waited in line to purchase it, while Hatter waited for her by the exit. She tried not to grit her teeth when several young girls walked past him, peered up at his face, and walked off giggling and blushing. He was oblivious, studying a display of hats.

After the purse was tucked safely inside a plastic sack, dangling from her arm, she went to rejoin Hatter, and they stepped out of the busy store.

"This is where we split up," she told him regretfully. "See that big water fountain over there? Let's meet beside it in…two hours, okay? Do you have enough money?"

Hatter shrugged, and pulled a wad of crumpled bills from his pocket. He still hadn't quite gotten the concept of using Oyster money yet, but was trying his best. He handed the bills to Alice, and she counted them before passing them back again. "You've got sixty dollars."

He nodded, though it was obvious from the way his brow was crinkled that he had no idea what she was talking about. "All right. I'll be waiting by the fountain in two hours, love." He kissed her lightly, then vanished into the crowd.

Alice stared after him, biting her lip. She hated to see him all alone like this, thanks to some possessive instinct buried deep inside her, but she couldn't hold his hand forever. It was a dangerous world, but if he never got out on his own, he couldn't grow as a person and learn, as much as she hated to admit it. She needed to stop acting like his mother all the time, and trust that he'd be okay.

Taking a deep breath, she turned and hurried in the opposite direction, walking briskly. Before buying the gifts for her friends from the dojo, she wanted to get something for Hatter. The thought of what to buy him for Christmas had been nagging away at her for weeks, and she simply couldn't decide. What she gave him needed to be the perfect present, and would be the most important one she ever gave him, since it was also the first. It couldn't be too _I'm your girlfriend, so don't even look at any other girls, and stay close to me at all times_, like an expensive piece of jewelry or a bottle of cologne. And she definitely didn't want it to be boring, like a book or, God forbid, a package of underwear.

Shopping for the opposite sex had always been hard, but never _this_ hard.

She let the crowd carry her along, window-shopping for anything that jumped out at her. She didn't see anything that really screamed Hatter until she passed a shop that sold nothing but clothing accessories. The window displayed dozens of different hats. She veered into the shop and went to study the many hats up close.

She found a porkpie hat that looked a lot like the hat he had owned in Wonderland, and a brown and orange patterned newsboy hat. The only person she could ever imagine wearing the last hat she selected was Hatter, so she just had to get it for him. She also found a pair of stylish wraparound sunglasses that she could clearly see him wearing in her mind's eye.

These items she took to the registers and purchased, praying silently the whole time that he would like what she had finally decided to get him. _What if I picked the wrong thing? Two hats and a pair of sunglasses? Oh God, that's so tacky. Maybe I should return them._ But she managed not to panic and shove her purchases back at the cashier, instead calmly accepting her receipt and walking out of the store.

"It's too late now. He'll either like them or he won't, Alice," she said out loud, ignoring the stares she got from several people passing by. She squared her shoulders and marched off in search of gifts for her friends from the dojo.

* * *

Just over two hours later, Alice breathlessly rushed up to the water fountain, which was bubbling merrily. She found Hatter sitting on a wooden bench, legs crossed casually, holding a small white sack in his lap. "I'm so sorry, Hatter," she said, sinking down beside him. "I lost track of time, and then there were so many people, and I practically had to start kicking people out of the way to get back here."

He assured her that waiting for a few minutes hadn't killed him, then playfully tried to look inside her bags. She elbowed him before he could get close enough to see the hats, and eyed his sack. He didn't seem at all worried about what he had decided to get her.

She felt a fresh surge of panic as she wondered if she had picked out something totally wrong for the occasion. She was going to feel terrible if he had got her some amazing gift, and all she had for him were a pair of hats and _sunglasses_. It was all she could do not to bang her head on the side of the fountain.

He stood and picked up his hat from where it had been sitting beside him on the bench, expertly flipping it onto his head. "I don't know about you, Alice, but I'm ready to get out of here," he said, as she also got to her feet. "I don't see why you humans like shopping so much, especially during Christmas, which is supposed to be peaceful. It's crazy."

She laughed at the exaggerated terrified expression on his face and looped her free arm through his. "Let's get back to your apartment and wrap the presents," she suggested. "Then I'm sure we can…find some more mistletoe."

He grinned at her. "Sounds great to me." He led the way through the crowd, towards the nearest exit.

Alice bit her lip and tried not to think about the presents she had bought him, which seemed heavier and more _wrong_ with each step.

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Only one chapter left, guys. I hope you enjoyed this as much as you did the last one. Please review and tell me what you thought, yeah?


	3. Three

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Alice_. SyFy does. Though I'm sure all of us long to find those official papers giving us legal rights wrapped up neatly under the tree, huh? :P

**A/N:** This chapter is a bit different than the others, but hopefully in a good way. I have my reasons, I promise. And I hope this final chapter lives up to everybody's expectations…

* * *

Again, time blurred past. Alice was caught up in her job, and thanks to the Christmas rush down at café, Hatter had to work almost every day, supplying his incredible tea to the demanding customers.

For the week leading up to the highly anticipated holiday, Alice worried almost constantly about the presents she had gotten Hatter from the mall. She had wrapped them and slipped them under the miniature green tree in his living room, trying her best to disguise the hats' distinctive shapes. Hatter had put his gift to her under the tree as well. It was small and thin, whatever it was, and she had a bad feeling that it was something really expensive. Every time she went over to his apartment, she avoided looking at the tree or the wrapped packages underneath.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, Alice woke in bed and smiled up at her ceiling, thinking of Hatter. She wished she were with him right at that moment, curled up in his strong arms. But she had to work at the dojo that morning, and didn't need any distractions, as welcome as these distractions might have been.

She got her phone from the bedside table and dialed Hatter's number, fluffing up her pillows so she could sit up. It rang three times, then he answered. "Alice. Is something wrong?"

He must have just woken up, she thought, since his accent was even thicker than normal. He sounded absolutely adorable. "No, silly, I just wanted to say good morning. It's Christmas Eve," she said.

"Oh. Good morning, then," he said, sounding more relaxed now that he knew she wasn't in some type of mortal danger. "What're you planning to do today? You have to go to the dojo, don't you?"

"Yeah," she said regretfully. "But it's just a kids' class. I should be finished by about noon. What about you? Maybe if you get a lunch break, we can go out to grab a bite to eat?"

"I'm off today, love. So that sounds great."

Their schedules couldn't have conceded more perfectly if she'd called him in sick. She tried not to sound too pleased that he didn't have to go to the café when she said, "Then I'll see you around noon?"

"I don't know if I can wait that long to see you," he said. "I'll get dressed and come down to the dojo."

This wasn't an unusual thing for Hatter to do; he said he loved watching her with the kids. Alice thought it was more along the lines of him thinking she looked sexy in her _gi_. But she wasn't complaining, because any excuse to be with Hatter was a good one.

"Okay, I'll see you then," she said, then hesitated. "Love you."

"I love you too, Alice."

She hung up and got out of bed, smiling as she thought of Hatter's expressive brown eyes. She took a quick shower, then changed into her white _gi_ and a black leather jacket and matching boots. She wrapped a patterned red and green scarf around her neck. After pulling her hair back into a ponytail, she went out to the kitchen. There was no sign of her mother, so she assumed her to still be in bed. She poured herself some orange juice and a bowl of cereal, then sat down at the table to eat.

Just as she raised a spoonful of cereal to her lips, Carol came bustling out of her bedroom. Instead of her usual elegant clothing, she was dressed simply, in jeans and an old sweatshirt. She held a feather duster in one hand and was pushing a broom along with the other. "Oh, Alice, I _thought_ I heard you in the shower, dear," she said, pausing to dust a lamp.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Alice asked blankly. "Are you expecting someone?" Maybe James, that man she'd been going out with lately. Because it wasn't like their apartment was a mess, so there had to be some kind of reason why Carol was cleaning it, and so early in the morning.

"I thought you might like to have David over to spend the night," she said, leaning over to look under the couch for any incriminating dust. "It's Christmas Eve; no one should be alone on Christmas Eve."

"Oh. Wow. Sure, I bet he'd love to stay over." Her mind was whirling. She knew that Carol knew she and Hatter slept together, but she had never expected her mother to allow them to share a bed in her own apartment. And it was a big step, inviting him to spend the night at her mother's. But it was one she thought they were ready for. Besides, it made sense. After all, Hatter would come over the next morning anyway, to open gifts.

Gifts. The thought made her heart race with nervousness as she thought of the presents. She and Hatter had brought them over a few days earlier and put them under the large tree in the corner, along with a few things Carol and bought and placed underneath. Alice swallowed hard and took a bite of cereal to distract herself.

"Mom," she said, after she'd finished chewing, "Hatter doesn't care what our apartment looks like."

"I know, but it makes me feel better for it to be clean. Especially since tomorrow is Christmas. It's good to have a clean house for Christmas."

There was no reasoning with her. Alice sighed and finished her cereal, then took her bowl to the sink. She rinsed it out and checked her watch. She needed to leave and get to the dojo, or she was going to be late. At this rate, she was barely even going to have time to buy a cappuccino from the little coffee shop across the street from where she worked.

She hurried back down the hall to her room, put on a touch of makeup, and gathered her purse. Then she went back out to the main area of the apartment. "Well, I've got to go. I'm going to be–"

"Alice, you had a visitor this morning. He came _outrageously_ early," Carol cut in. "I told him to come back in a few hours."

She frowned at her mother. "Who was it?"

"I would have told you earlier, but I didn't want you to be worried. I'm sure it was nothing, but…"

"Mom, what are you talking about?" she demanded, turning to face Carol again. "Who came by? Was it Hatter?"

She shook her head. She looked concerned, clutching the feather duster like it held the meaning of life. "No, it was–"

The buzzer rang then, interrupting Carol midsentence. Irritated, Alice threw the door open and prepared to tell the salesmen she was sure would be standing there to get lost. She couldn't have been more stunned at who actually stood on the doorstep, wearing a neat black suit.

"Jack," she breathed, staring up at his handsome face with wide eyes.

"Hello, Alice," he said.

She didn't know what to say. But at least it made sense now why her mother had gone into a cleaning frenzy. Having the king of Wonderland pop in and see the living room looking a bit dusty would do that to anyone. She took a deep breath, then said, "What are you doing here? I thought you shut the Looking Glass down for good."

"I did. But I needed to see you."

She gritted her teeth together and resisted the strong urge to slam the door in his face. That would likely be considered rude. "No. No, Jack, we're not going through all this again. I'm not going to be your queen. So get the hell off my mother's doormat before I kick you in the face."

"Alice!" Carol cried, sounding absolutely horrified.

To say that Jack looked surprised would have been an understatement. Alice actually felt a bit guilty, considering that her words hadn't exactly been filled with Christmas cheer. "I'm sorry. It's just…I need to get to the dojo. I'm going to be late."

He nodded. "This isn't what you think, trust me. Let me walk with you, so we can talk."

She looked over her shoulder, to where Carol was watching them intently. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "Mom, I'll see you tonight." She stepped out into the hallway and closed the door, then strode towards the elevator. Jack trailed along behind her. The ride to the ground floor was silent and uncomfortable, but Alice had no idea what to say. He didn't seem particularly inclined to speak, either.

When they stepped onto the icy sidewalk outside the building, a light snowfall was coming down. Everywhere Alice looked, people were bundled up in coats and scarves and boots. Most of the taxis had little glowing wreaths attached to the front fenders. Christmas was in the air. But despite all of this, she couldn't bring herself to feel very cheerful. Not with the blond man standing just behind her.

"You're going to get coffee before you go to the dojo, is that right?" Jack said, finally breaking their silence. She nodded; he knew her routines too well. "Well, let's go, then." They started in the right direction, snow crunching under their feet.

"Why are you here?" she asked, after a few seconds. The question was bothering her; she couldn't wait any longer to ask it.

"It's been so long since I saw you last. I wanted to see that you were adjusting to your life again," he said. "I thought now might be a good time to stop by. It's almost Christmas, after all. That's a big Oyster holiday."

"I'm adjusting," she said shortly. "So is Hatter."

"Of course."

They stopped at a crosswalk, and neither spoke until they had reached the other side. "So how have things been in Wonderland?" Alice wanted to know. As much as she hated to admit it, she had wondered ever since returning home how things were going there, since she and Hatter had left. How much had changed, and how much had stayed the same.

"All right, I suppose," he said. "My mother doesn't like being ruled over, as opposed to being the ruler. But she's been dealt with." He paused. "The Duchess and I…we were married. She's different than what I thought she was, not just a simple creature of my mother's. She genuinely cares for me, and I've found that I feel much the same."

"Wow, that's great. Congratulations." She wondered how much time had actually passed in Wonderland. It had to have been more than just a couple of months. For all she knew, it could have been years.

They had reached the coffee shop by now, and went inside. Alice ordered a cappuccino, and Jack asked for tea. He insisted on paying for them, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Both paper cups came with tiny red and green candy canes, and he gave his to Alice. She tucked them into her purse for later.

It was as she was doing this, holding her steaming cup in one hand, that she noticed the man in the black suit, standing in one corner and watching them. She grabbed Jack's arm. "Who's that?" she asked in a low voice.

He looked in the direction she was staring. "I can't go anywhere without a bodyguard now," he said. "Too many assassination attempts, you see."

"Assassination…oh, Jack, I'm so sorry. That must be awful."

"The people will calm down eventually, I'm sure. It's just a shock for me to be king, I suppose, after they were all used to my mother. And others believe I am nothing but her pawn, which couldn't be farther from the truth."

They went to the door and stepped back outside. Even though they hadn't discussed it, both stood there under the awning instead of walking across the street to the dojo. On the corner, a man with a guitar was playing Christmas carols and singing, a red bucket at his feet.

"As I said earlier, it's nearly Christmas," Jack said after several moments. "A holiday of giving gifts. I brought you something, Alice, something recovered from the rubble of the Casino that I hope will help you move on and leave behind any ties you have to Wonderland. Because I have decided to shatter the Looking Glass, permanently shutting down the portal between our worlds. Too many Tea addicts have tried to sneak through my defenses and come through, and it's time all of that stopped once and for all."

The sound of the guitar and its owner singing along seemed bizarrely out of place now. Jack's words whirled through Alice's brain. Not that she would ever _want_ to go back to Wonderland, but the thought of not being able to stunned her.

"Here," he said, seeming to sense her varying emotions. He pressed something cold and metal into her free hand, then touched her shoulder. "Goodbye, Alice. I'm sure you and Hatter will be very happy together." He smiled slightly, then turned and walked away.

She stared after him, blinking rapidly as she tried to clear her dazed brain, then looked down at what he had given her. Her eyes flooded with tears when she realized that it was her father's watch, the one he had been wearing when he died. The face was cracked, and it was tarnished a little, but other than that, it was exactly the same as she remembered.

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, then opened them again and slipped the watch carefully into her coat pocket.

"Alice!" Hatter appeared at her side, out of breath and hat clutched in his hand. His hair looked especially disheveled, as though he had been running. "Was that _Jack Heart_ I just saw talking to you?"

"Yes," she said, blinking again as she tried to clear the last few tears from her eyes. She smiled tremulously, then tried to make a joke to lighten the mood. "Why, were you jealous?"

"Yes, very much so," he said honestly, staring after Jack with narrowed eyes. "Wait, does that mean the Looking Glass is active right now?"

"Yeah. Jack wanted to say goodbye. He's going to shatter the Looking Glass," she said.

"Shatter the…" His eyes were incredibly wide, voice trailing off. Without another word, he raced away from her, slipping and sliding on the slick ice. He all too soon disappeared into the crowd, vanishing from sight.

Alice stared after him, lips parted with surprise, then tears flooded her eyes all over again. He was leaving her. He didn't want to be trapped in the human world with her forever, so he was going back home to Wonderland while he still could. He didn't love her at all.

She felt like she could start sobbing at any moment, so she quickly got out her cell phone and dialed the dojo. She canceled her class for the day, then walked home as fast as she could. She rode the elevator to the right floor, and went into the apartment. She went past Carol without saying anything, collapsed on her bed, and cried.

* * *

The next day dawned cloudy and gray outside. Alice dragged herself out of bed at nine o'clock and put on jeans, red and white striped slippers, and an oversized green sweater with a snowman embroidered on the front. She felt no real need to do anything special to get herself ready for the day. It wasn't like Hatter was going to see her and think the sweater made her look fat. He was never going to see her again.

Carol was making several special dishes for the Christmas meal. She quietly bid Alice good morning, tactfully not mentioning anything to do with Hatter. Alice made sure not to look at any of the gifts still under the tree, afraid the sight of them would only make her start crying. She sat down on the couch and hugged a throw pillow, flipping the TV to a Hallmark Christmas movie. If she cried again, maybe she could successfully blame it on the movie.

Several hours dragged past, and two movies. Carol finished cooking and came to sit down in the living room with her. She didn't mention eating or opening presents, and Alice was glad. She had no real desire to celebrate anything.

Just before two that afternoon, someone pounded on the door of the apartment. Alice dragged herself up from the couch and went to answer it. "Sorry," she said dully, as she pulled the door open, "we're not interested in buying anything toda–"

She broke off and stared incredulously. It was Hatter. He still wore the same clothes as when she had last seen him, but he looked much dustier. Several streaks of grime were smeared across his face. His boots were covered with gray snow, and a collection of snowflakes melted slowly on his shoulders. "Alice?" he said uncertainly, eager smile faltering at something on her face.

It was hard to speak; her voice came out as a croak. "Where have you been?"

"In Wonderland," he said, making no move to come inside. "I'm sorry, love. I came as quickly as I could, but it still took me two days of Wonderland time."

A sob tore itself from her lips, and she turned away and covered her face. Hatter quickly came inside and closed the door. "Alice? Alice, what's wrong?"

"She thought you were gone, David," Carol said softly from the living room. "We both did."

Hatter took her shoulders until she slowly looked up into his face, fighting back more tears. "I would _never_ leave you, Alice. I love you."

She bit her lip, hard, and took a deep breath before trying to speak again. "I love you too, Hatter. Oh God, I'm _so_ glad to see you." They hugged, like they would never let the other go.

Carol came over just as they broke apart, and gave Hatter a hug of her own. "Maybe you'd like to get cleaned up a bit, David, before you tell us where you've been."

He looked down at his disheveled clothing and nodded. "Yeah, a bit."

Alice showed him to the shower, then gave him some old clothes her mother dug out, which had belonged to Robert. After Hatter cleaned up and dried his wet hair, he slipped into the jeans and t-shirt, which were a little too big. He came out to the living room and curled up on the couch with Alice, while Carol sat across from them, muting the TV.

"I didn't mean to scare you. Either of you," Hatter said, after a small pause. He absently rubbed the back of Alice's hand with his thumbs. "When you told me that Jack was going to shatter the Looking Glass, Alice, I had to follow him back before it was too late."

He handed her something. It was a small shard of glass that sent a tiny shiver down her spine when she touched it. If she angled it the right way, she could see a sliver of the inside of that abandoned building where the Looking Glass had transported her so long ago.

"So it's really gone?" she asked. He nodded.

She sighed and turned the glass over and over in her palm. The lights from the Christmas tree in the corner reflected of its surface. She didn't know whether to be happy or not. There would be no more trouble with Tea, but she would never see any of the amazing places Wonderland had to offer, ever again. Or any of her friends. Charlie.

"There was something I needed to get from my old flat," he continued. "I wasn't expecting Jack to come through when he did, mind, so it came as a bit of surprise. I acted selfishly, not stopping to tell you where I was going. So I'm sorry for that."

She rested her head against his shoulder to show him that his apology was readily accepted. "What could be so important that you'd risk getting trapped over there?" she said. She could imagine all too clearly the horror of being trapped on the wrong side of the Looking Glass, separated by a glistening pane of glass from the one she loved.

He smiled slightly. "I'll tell you later. I don't want to interrupt the holiday anymore than I already have."

"Well in that case, I think it's time we open our gifts," Carol announced brightly. "Then I have our dinner already prepared. David, you've never had any of my apple pie, have you? You're going to absolutely love it, I just know."

Alice's mother got the presents from under the tree and passed them out according to the names on the gift tags. All of them were neatly wrapped in brightly-colored paper, except for the gifts from Hatter. They looked rather messy, but he was excused for that, since it had been his first time to wrap anything.

Carol opened her presents first. She loved the silver bag, and the perfume and lotion set Alice had also purchased for her. Hatter had bought her a new dress, which Alice thought was sweet of him. He hadn't even mentioned it to her, which showed he had bought the dress because he genuinely cared about her mother, and not just because he wanted to impress her.

Hatter received several books from Carol, as well as some new shirts and matching ties. When he started to open the presents from Alice, she felt a pang of fear. He seemed impressed with the sunglasses, putting them on before taking them off again because it was too dark to wear them inside. When he tore the paper away from his new hats, he looked thrilled. He immediately took off his old hat and settled the straw one atop his hair.

"Thanks, Alice. I love them," he said, sounding genuinely pleased. Alice relaxed a little. Maybe she _had_ picked the perfect presents for him. Thank God.

She found that her mother had given her some new clothes and a camera. After gushing over there for an appropriate amount of time, she slowly opened the present from Hatter.

Under the slightly tattered paper was a metallic gold box. She carefully took off the lid. Inside was a long silver chain, snaking along the red velvet lining. Several charms dangled from the middle of the chain: a tiny top hat, a heart, a key. Her breath caught in her throat. "Hatter, it's beautiful."

He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, "It's because you hold the key to my heart, Alice, and you always will." She felt like crying again, but this time from happiness. He took the delicate silver necklace from of the box and fastened it around her neck, where it fit perfectly. She vowed silently that she was never taking it off again.

Carol, after examining the necklace, got up and bustled around while Hatter and Alice sat on the couch in each other's arms, enjoying a comfortable silence. Then she announced that they were out of whipped cream, and went out to go to the store on the corner to buy some. She left them alone in the apartment.

"Do you really like the necklace?" Hatter asked. He sounded worried.

"Of course I do. I love it," she said honestly.

He smiled, and gave her a brief kiss. "Put on your coat."

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They went up to the roof of the building, which was coated in a layer of snow. It was fluffy and white and utterly untouched. Their footprints were the only marks to mar its smooth perfection.

Alice went over to the edge and looked down, gripping Hatter's hand tightly. Even though being up so high terrified her, even she couldn't deny that the view of all the lights across the city was beautiful. "So how was your first Christmas?" she asked, after she felt she couldn't look down any longer without fainting. She stepped back from the edge, to much safer ground.

He was frowning. "What? Oh, it was good. I think it's my favorite Oyster holiday."

"Are you okay?" she asked, sensing that he wasn't really focused on their conversation.

"Alice," he said abruptly, instead of answering. "I need to ask you something." He grabbed one of her hands between both of his.

She stared at him wordlessly, heart leaping in her throat.

"I was going to ask you a question," he said, like he was hurrying to get the words out. "I wanted more, but I didn't want to rush you. I asked your mum what she thought, and she said it was a good idea." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver key, which he offered her.

She took the key, hand shaking. "You want me to move in with you?" That was a big step, even bigger than just staying over at his place a few times a week. She'd never moved in with any guy she'd dated before.

"I did want that. But not anymore."

"Not anymore…?" Didn't he still love her? Or had something changed while he was in Wonderland? "Hatter–"

He smiled wryly, then sank down onto one knee, the wet snow instantly soaking into his pants. "This is done completely differently in Wonderland, but I thought I'd take a shot at trying the Oyster way," he said, reaching into his pocket again.

"Oh my God," Alice said, before she could stop herself. She covered her mouth with her free hand.

"I saw Jack talking to you, and I was jealous. I don't want other men to pay attention to you. I want you to be _mine_, Alice.

"You wanted to know why I went after Jack, into the Looking Glass. I've been planning this for some time, though I was going to give it to you for your birthday next year. But when Jack moved up the deadline by saying he was about to shatter the only way back, I had to go while I still could." He held up something small and glistening. It was a ring, beautifully engraved and with a modest green stone gleaming in the center of the design.

Tears flooded Alice's eyes, and she found that she couldn't speak.

"This belonged to my mum," he said. "My dad gave it to her when I was born, and after she died…I've been keeping it in a hidden storage area in my flat. No one found it when they cleaned it out after I left. So I'm giving it to you, because I love you. Will you be my wife, Alice?"

Several tears rolled down her face, and Alice felt like she was about to faint. So many conflicting emotions rushed through her that it seemed like her head was about to explode. But above it all, loud through the chaos in her mind, was one word.

"Yes," she whispered, and Hatter's face lit up. "I'll marry you."

He wasted no time slipping the ring onto the first finger on her left hand. She gently corrected him, and he moved it to the correct finger without pause.

She pulled him to his feet again as a light snow began to drift down from the sky. "Hatter, I love you. I love you so much," she said, and kissed him.

He adjusted his new hat to keep it from falling off and rolling away, then pulled back to look at her. "I think I love you more," he said, then they kissed again. And there they stayed for a long time, before finally going inside to tell Carol the good news.

And Alice couldn't have been happier.

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**Merry Christmas!**


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